Weekly workouts: Skidaway Island half marathon training (week 2 - 2/2-2/8)

My second week of Skidaway Island half training is in the books and so far, everything is going really well. I'm continuing to feel my speed pick up and I think I'm teetering on the cusp of surpassing my pre-baby fitness levels.

But while I may be regaining fitness and feeling more like my pre-baby self than ever, sometimes my body likes to remind me that I did, in fact, have a baby less than a year ago. And sometimes this happens when I'm running.

So in the future, I'll refrain from drinking a giant cup of coffee prior to hill repeats. Also, I'll wear dark pants.Yep folks, for those of you who didn't read between the lines there, that meant loss of bladder control. It happened. Those downhills were a bitch. (File that one under #motherrunnerproblems. Also, #keepingitreal.)

TMI? Sorry, this is a running blog and sometimes runners do gross things. But hey, those were my fastest post-baby hill repeats yet. Onward.

Clockwise from top right: We take lots of family walks!; Almost 5-miler; Crosstraining buddy while I'm on the elliptical; Group run at Pitt Street Bridge in Mount Pleasant; Stroller run on Sunday!

On Friday, keeping in the spirit of getting faster, I ran my fastest (almost) 5 mile run (not race) since before having B. In fact, it was only a few seconds off from my fastest 5 mile training run ever. And this wasn't a tempo run or anything. It was just a regular run at a moderate pace, so not hard, but not super easy where I felt like I could sing or something.

Sunday we went for another family ride-run and this time we went almost 5 miles and my pace was nearly 30 seconds faster than last week's 3.5 mile stroller run. I felt more comfortable this week with the stroller and B had just as much fun. I love that we can get out and do this as a family!

Originally, I wasn't sure I'd do anything beyond 3 or so miles with the stroller, but now I can see myself doing at least 10 miles. Plus it's a good upper body workout, too. Nothing like becoming a mom to strengthen those arm muscles. Between carrying around a baby all the time and pushing a running stroller, I think I've got more arm strength now than I ever have.

All in all, a good week.

In summary (too long, didn't read):

• Monday: Bodyflow
• Tuesday: Hill repeats - 4.21 miles (8:54 pace) - 4x.25 mile hill repeats plus warmup and cool down miles
• Wednesday: 20 minutes strength + 20 minutes elliptical (7:04 pace)
• Thursday: OFF
• Friday: Run - 4.78 miles (8:32 pace)*
• Saturday: Group LSD run - 6.08 miles (9:17 pace)
• Sunday: Stroller run - 4.84 miles (9:08 pace)*

Total miles: 20

Total runs: 4

Total core/strength workouts: 2

Total crosstraining workouts: 1

*I'm really not trying to go just under 5 miles in these runs. I just keep miscalculating my distance. Both of those almost 5-milers were intended to be 5 full miles. Oh well. Close enough. Round up, yo.